[obituary_latte]

It’s not cartoonishly incorrect, in fact it’s mostly correct. Healthcare workers wear masks mostly to protect their patients. They themselves may get some protection from splashing/spurting bodily or other fluids, but not from any airborne contaminants or infections.

> A. Masks were introduced into clinical practice at the beginning of the 20th century to protect patients from microorganisms being expelled from healthcare workers’ respiratory tracts during clinical procedures (Wilson, 2006).

https://www.nursingtimes.net/archive/when-should-staff-wear-...

[endorphone]

Surgical masks. We all know that. Everyone knows that.

N95 masks are distinctly and absolutely worn to protect the wearer. N95 masks are recommended for front-line staff when dealing with viral outbreaks. H1N1, SARS, MERS, and now COVID-19 -- staff wear self-protection masks. During flu outbreaks front-line staff wear N95 for clinics.

This discussion -- what we are talking about -- is COVID-19. Every front-line staff dealing with this, worldwide, is equipped with an N95 mask, or there is a problem. Because when your front-line staff get sick things really break down.

[obituary_latte]

Ok, yeah it sounds like there’s a terminology and context breakdown going on. Typical healthcare setting vs. current COVID-19 setting etc. When you said

> Then again, the one guy claims that health-care workers only wear masks to protect patients, which is just cartoonishly incorrect (beyond in the abstract "protect patients by the healthcare workers not getting infected" way). To the point that is has to be malicious.

it’s not clear which (COVID-19/typical healthcare) setting is being referred to (maybe same for comment you’re responding to as well).

Apologies for any confusion on my part.